Arkansas River
We’ve crossed over the Arkansas 15-20 times – think about my mother in law each and every time.
Santa Fe Trail
Sand Creek Massacre
There were road signs for the “Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site” – which is off the 70 so we didn’t stop, but we did read about it.
It’s one thing to know the whites ran the Indians off their land – it’s another to really understand what they did. It’s disturbing to my soul.
The movie “Last of the Mohicans” depicts Indians attacking settlers homes. Movies like that have made me angry with those bands of Indians that attacked innocents. For the first time, I can understand their reasoning. I don’t condone any of the killings, but now I know they were at war.
“The Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1851 had given the Indians extensive territory, but the Pikes Peak gold rush in 1858 and other factors had persuaded the US to renegotiate the terms of the treaty.”
Peace seeking chiefs signed a new treaty, which most of the tribe did not agree with, left them only 1/13th of the land from the previous treaty. Many of the Indians continued to live on, and hunt on, the land they lost in the 2nd treaty.
The civil war was under way at this time so most of the soldiers were off fighting that, leaving the settlers to fend for themselves. Factions of the Cherokee and Arapaho tribes began attacking settlements.
Some of the peace seeking Indians were staying at a camp for protection as part of a peace parley. They were told to move to Sand Creek Camp for their safety.
Colonel Chivington of the United States Volunteers launched an attack against the Indians at Sand Creek Camp. These were not the warriors attacking the settlements – these were the tribal leaders and families who were seeking peace. 2/3’s of the Sand Creek Indians were women and children.
They don’t teach these details in history class – they should.
PhilippiJoy 